Alstroemeria plant named &#39;Tesvalen imp.&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Alstroemeria  plant named ‘Tesvalen imp.’, characterized by its broadly upright plant habit; relatively short flowering stems; sturdy and strong plants; moderately vigorous growth habit; numerous large dark red-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Alstroemeria hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘TESVALEN imp.’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria plant, botanically known as Alstroemeria hybrida, grown typically as a potted garden Alstroemeria, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Tesvalen imp.’.

The new Alstroemeria plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new potted garden Alstroemeria plants with numerous attractive flowers and flower continuously during the flowering season.

The new Alstroemeria plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Tesvalen’, not patented. The new Alstroemeria plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘Tesvalen’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands in May, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Alstroemeria plant by root divisions in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands since September, 2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Alstroemeria plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Tesvalen imp.’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Tesvalen imp.’ as a new and distinct Alstroemeria plant:

1. Broadly upright plant habit; relatively short flowering stems.

2. Sturdy and strong plants; moderately vigorous growth habit.

3. Numerous large dark red-colored flowers.

4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the mutation parent, ‘Tesvalen’. Plants of the new Alstroemeria differ from plants of ‘Tesvalen’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria are larger and more vigorous than plants of ‘Tesvalen’.

2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria have larger leaves than plants of ‘Tesvalen’.

3. Plants of the new Alstroemeria have larger flowers than plants of ‘Tesvalen’.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Tesrobin’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,354. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Alstroemeria differ primarily from plants of ‘Tesrobin’ in flower color as plants of ‘Tesrobin’ had lighter red-colored flowers. Additionally, plants of the new Alstroemeria had longer lateral branches than plants of ‘Tesrobin’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Alstroemeria plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Alstroemeria plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plants of ‘Tesvalen imp.’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements were grown during the winter and early spring in 24-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Kudelstaart, The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 15° C. and night temperatures averaged 12° C. Plants used in the photograph were 15 weeks old and plants used for the description were 22 weeks old. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Tesvalen imp.’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Alstroemeria     hybrida ‘Tesvalen’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By root divisions.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About seven             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About eight             weeks at temperatures about 16° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous and fleshy; thick to thin;             typically white in color, actual color of the roots is             dependent on substrate composition, water quality,             fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and             physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.         -   Rhizome length.—About 13 cm.         -   Rhizome diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Rhizome texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Rhizome luster.—Slightly glossy.         -   Rhizome color.—Close to 4D. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; broadly             upright plant habit with relatively short flowering stems,             globular; freely branching habit with about 20 primary             lateral branches developing per plant; sturdy and strong             plants; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 29.7 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 35.7 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Aspect.—Mostly upright to outwardly spreading.         -   Length.—About 16.8 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 6 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 9 mm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; waxy.         -   Luster.—Matte.         -   Color.—Close to 146A to 146B; with development, color             becoming closer to 152A to darker than 152A; waxy cuticle,             close to 198D. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; below the peduncles in a single             whorl; simple.         -   Length.—About 5.6 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate to narrowly ovate; twisting.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Surface faces             downwards; close to 137C. Developing leaves, lower surface:             Surface faces upwards; close to between 141A and 143A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Surface faces downwards;             close to 137C; venation, close to 144A. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Surface faces upwards; close to             N137B; venation, close to 144B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3.9 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm by             6 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly glossy. Color:             Close to 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single zygomorphic flowers arranged             in terminal umbels; flowers face mostly outwardly to             slightly upright; perianth segments separate; freely             flowering habit with about 19 flowers per inflorescence and             about 120 flowers developing per plant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about eight             weeks after planting; flowering continuous from summer into             the autumn in The Netherlands.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten days; flowers not             persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm.             Shape: Obovate. Color: Close to 145D; towards the apex,             close to 59A and between 59B and 203B; towards the base,             close to 143B.         -   Umbel height.—About 10.3 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 16.7 cm.         -   Flower diameter (horizontal).—About 6.8 cm.         -   Flower length (vertical).—About 7 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 6.6 cm.         -   Perianth.—Arrangement: Six arranged in two whorls, each             whorl with two lateral and one median segments. Size, inner             perianth: Length, lateral segments: About 6.4 cm. Width,             lateral segments: About 2.6 cm. Length, median segment:             About 5.7 cm. Width, median segment: About 2.5 cm. Size,             outer perianth: Length, lateral segments: About 6.7 cm.             Width, lateral segments: About 4 cm. Length, median segment:             About 6.2 cm. Width, median segment: About 3.7 cm. Shape,             inner perianth, lateral and median segments: Oblanceolate.             Shape, outer perianth, lateral and median segments: Obovate.             Apex, inner perianth, lateral and median segments: Abruptly             acute. Apex, outer perianth, lateral and median segments:             Emarginate. Base, inner perianth, lateral and median             segments: Narrowly cuneate. Base, outer perianth, lateral             and median segments: Long cuneate. Margin, inner perianth,             lateral and median segments: Entire. Margin, outer perianth,             lateral and median segments: Towards the apex, finely             serrate; towards the base, entire. Texture, inner and outer             perianths, lateral and median segments, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; moderately velvety. Luster,             inner perianth, lateral and median segments, upper surface:             Matte. Luster, inner perianth, lateral and median segments,             lower surface: Slightly glossy. Luster, outer perianth,             lateral and median segments, upper surface: Matte. Luster,             inner perianth, lateral and median segments, lower Color,             inner perianth: When opening, lateral segments, upper             surface: Distally, close to 53C; apex, close to 53A;             proximally, close to 54C and 55C; spots, close to N186A.             When opening, median segment, upper surface: Close to 53C;             apex, close to 53A; spots, close to N186A. When opening,             lateral segments, lower surface: Distally, close to 53B;             proximally, close to 54A; spots, close to N186A. When             opening, median segment, lower surface: Close to 53A to 53B;             spots, close to N186A. Fully opened, lateral segments, upper             surface: Distally, close to between 46B and 53A; proximally,             close to 51A to 51B; spots, close to between N186A; color             becoming closer to 53D with development. Fully opened,             median segment, upper surface: Distally, close to 53B;             proximally, close to 46C; spots, close to N186A; color             becoming closer to 53D with development. Fully opened,             lateral segments, lower surface: Distally, close to 53B to             53C; proximally, close to 53D; spots, close to N186A. Fully             opened, median segment, lower surface: Distally, close to             53B; proximally, close to 53C; spots, close to N186A. Color,             outer perianth: When opening, lateral and median segments,             upper surface: Distally, close to 53A; apex, strongly tinged             with close to 203B; proximally, close to 63A to 63B. When             opening, lateral and median segments, lower surface:             Distally, close to 53A to 53B; apex, strongly tinged with             close to 203B; proximally, close to 53D. Fully opened,             lateral and median segments, upper surface: Distally, close             to 53B to 53C; apex, strongly tinged with close to 59A;             proximally, close to 47A to 47B; color becoming closer to             53C with development. Fully opened, lateral and median             segments, lower surface: Close to 53B; apex, close to 203B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3.3 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Angle: About 30° from stem             axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous; waxy. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 146A; waxy layer, close to 198D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six.             Filament length: About 3.7 cm. Filament color: Close to 53A;             towards the base, close to 53D. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther             length: About 8 mm. Anther color: Close to 183A. Pollen             amount: None observed. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 4.2 cm. Style length: About 3.3 cm.             Style color: Close to 53C; towards the base, lighter than             53C. Stigma shape: Tri-parted; parts, club-shaped, curved.             Stigma color: Close to 53B. Ovary color: Close to 143B with             ribbing, close to N186A.         -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been             observed on plants of the new Alstroemeria. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Alstroemeria plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have been     observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate high     temperatures of about 35° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone     8. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Alstroemeria plant named ‘Tesvalen imp.’ as illustrated and described. 